Our Caribbean Project is now OPERATORS WITHOUT BORDERS!
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Following the devastating hurricanes that ravaged the Caribbean, CWWA was called upon to support efforts to restore damaged water and wastewater systems. Together, we raised donations at our national conference in St. John’s to help send Canadian operators down to Domenica. Another $3,000 was raised from our members at the national conference in Montreal last November and these funds helped get 4 more operators down to Belize this month.
Canadian operators (and CWWA members) Ian McilWham, Patrick Reevs, Ron Enns and Dan Skidmore answered the most recent call for help and headed down to Belize to provide guidance and hands on assistance. First, these great volunteers need to get the permission of their municipal employers to let them go, then, with the funds raised, we can fly them to where they are needed. From there, the host nation takes care of all their food and lodging.
None of this would ever have happened without the leadership and inspiration provided by our good friend Valerie Jenkinson of World Water and Wastewater Solutions. But Valerie has even bigger plans. What began as a rapid response to a crisis is developing into a solid, long-term program to share our expertise in water operations.
We are very pleased to be part of the newly created "Operators Without Borders.” A board of Directors has been formed, including CWWA’s Robert Haller and CWWA members Kalpna Solanki (EOCP) and Carl Yates (Halifax Water). By-laws have been prepared and application has been made to register as a not-for-profit corporation with charitable status in Canada. More details will be shared as this develops!
Canadian volunteers Ian McilWham, Valerie Jenkinson, Patrick Reeves and Ron Enns arrive in Belize to assist with water and wastewater systems recovery as part of the newly formed Operators Without Borders.
